


trust me

by ROSEWAR



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Mafia Boss Julius, Prostitute Ludger, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-11
Updated: 2015-04-11
Packaged: 2018-03-22 07:47:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3720904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ROSEWAR/pseuds/ROSEWAR
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I can see what's going on here," Rideaux mutters with a cruel but knowing smile. "Though I can't say I saw it coming. You know, I was joking about needing to pay someone to date you. If you want, I can introduce you to <i>real</i> people and not hookers."</p>
            </blockquote>





	trust me

**Author's Note:**

> He treats them respectably enough. but Julius never did have a vested interest in the Kresnik family's hookers. They were a staple source of their income and power, and he saw to it that they were treated well enough in his presence. Treating them like the human beings they were was unconventional, but that was the sort of man he was. Cruelty had its place, but he never believed that that place was among family members. After all, Julius wasn't his father, and the Kresnik clan was already harsh in traditions as it was.

But then there's this one, a new boy Rideaux had roped in. There's still a sincere and pure quality to him; Julius can tell he has no idea what he's gotten himself into and what his future entails. He's lovely, slender and pale and deliciously shy, and it makes Julius feel a bit sorry for him.

Rideaux shoos him away before approaching Julius, and that's when he asks about the new boy.

"Him?" Rideaux asks, flipping his long hair over his shoulder. "That one is named Ludger. He's a little nobody who owes us some money, that's all."

Julius hums, thoughtful, doesn't really have anything to say to that. Rideaux may be his underboss, but that doesn't mean he trusts him when it comes to his private life. The gossip-monger doesn't know the meaning of confidentiality when it comes to the family's personal happenings.

The thing Julius both appreciates and dislikes all at once about Rideaux is that, having grown up in the family together, they understand each other more than anyone else in the world does, and certainly more than they themselves care to. Because of this, Rideaux can see through Julius' mask of indifference and grins at him. Something about his smile seems a little malicious.

"Why don't I call him over here for you?" he offers with a coy tilt of his head.

Julius' expression hardens. "You don't have to do that. If I was interested, I could talk to him myself."

Rideaux rolls his eyes with an annoyed shake of his head. "Of course you would, Don Kresnik."

Julius narrows his eyes down at Rideaux and is about to bite back at him, but Rideaux turns on a heel and strides away, disappearing in the crowd of party guests.

With a put-upon sigh, Julius resumes mingling. He nearly forgets about the obnoxious red eyesore, until he senses that he's being approached again.

He turns around just in time to see Rideaux giving the boy he'd been eyeing a harsh look. "Did I mention he's the _don,_ meaning the one you're   _actually_ working for? Don't screw this up for me."

Ludger does his best to hide his alarm, but the quick and stiff nod he gives and his murmured response do little to belie his nervousness. "Right."

Julius sighs once more, but greets the two anyway. Being cold to Rideaux is one thing, but even if he's just a hooker, there's no need to be rude to the boy.

"So sorry I'm late, Don Kresnik. I know you were _dying_ to meet Ludger here," Rideaux croons, falsely saccharine.

"Hi," is all Ludger manages, and offers Julius a small but shaky smile.

Julius says nothing to Ludger, though he does regard Rideaux.

"I don't remember asking you to introduce us, but I know you can be hard of hearing at times," Julius says, tone flat and frosty.

"You slay me, _boss,_ " Rideaux replies, sardonic and impatient. Rather than linger about and devolving into an argument, Rideaux merely rolls his eyes before reaching up to give Ludger a not-so-gentle nudge forward.

"I have to take my leave, but try not to have too much fun without me, boys," he says with a sneer before making himself scarce.

Julius sighs, which is a regular thing for him when it comes to dealing with Rideaux, and is about to tell Ludger he's free to return whatever it was he was doing, but the boy speaks up first.

"Is he always that obnoxious?" he asks, voice low.

Julius cracks a smile. "Unfortunately, yes. He's always been like that, for as long as I've known him."

Ludger smiles too. " _That_  sure sounds promising. Working for someone like that--"

"I imagine it's almost as bad as working _with_ him. Sure, he does his job well, but at what cost?" Julius says. He's surprised he's able to speak so freely with this boy, but he doesn't question it. He lends it to their bonding over their mutual hatred of Rideaux.

Ludger manages a soft chuckle, and it warms Julius from the inside. "You're right. I only have to see him once a week. I couldn't handle being around him every day."

They smile and laugh and drink, and Julius finds himself becoming glad that Rideaux pushed this daisy-fresh boy onto him, because Ludger reminds him of all sorts of things he thought died inside of him long ago. Ludger is fun and relaxing and warm, and there's something about him that makes Julius want him in every way possible.

Such a thing wouldn't be difficult to accomplish given Julius' power, and he has no qualms in exercising it. After their laughter dies down and Ludger seems relaxed, Julius leans in, whispers in his ear.

"Let's go somewhere more private. We'll talk more there."

Ludger sucks in a breath, looks down at the ground, and nods as red rises to his cheeks.

  
Ludger is sitting on the edge of a hotel bed, half-undressed and trying to suppress his trembles, when Julius finds out that he's a virgin.

"Why would you agree to be a prostitute if you've never done this before?" Julius asks, tone scolding.

Julius almost wishes he'd spoken with a bit more understanding, because Ludger looks up at him with a strange sort of fearful courage, as if he was slowly beginning to understand what being a whore entails.

"It was the only work the underboss would give me," he explains. "I have to pay off my debt to him, so I took the job."

Julius shakes his head, admonishing. It was a shame since Ludger was obviously fresh and sweet and naive, but that was how the business was. There are a lot of details about this so-called debt he's curious about, but he left Rideaux in charge of those matters for a reason.

Ludger's expression hardens, indignant. "What was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know what to tell you," Julius says, eyes softening in the face of Ludger's anger and anguish. He has to admit, he feels for the boy, but it's hard to be empathetic without the details. Though, if there was one thing Julius knew about family matters, it was that some details were better left unknown.

"You didn't bring me here to _tell_ me anything," Ludger murmurs with a bit of an edge. His voice is still soft and subdued however, ever mindful of his position, of his loss of autonomy.

His motions are slow and hesitant as he reaches up and sets himself to undoing Julius' pants. That fearful and determined expression is back, and it doesn't waver even as Julius' belt comes undone with a few soft clinks.

Ludger's shaking hands linger at the button of Julius' slacks. Julius can tell that everything is coming down on Ludger at once, so he gives into his urge to be tender to the boy and pries his hands away.

"Here," he says pressing a hand to the middle of Ludger's bare chest. "Just lay back."

Ludger shakes his head. "I can do this. Just let me--"

Julius cuts him off, though his tone is reassuring. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just trust me."

Ludger stares up at Julius, still afraid, but ultimately gives a little nod and does as he's told. He moves to the middle of the bed and lays flat on his back, flushed and shaking. It's almost standard fare for someone's first time, Julius thinks to himself as he kneels over the boy, but of course there's an underlying dark side to this that everything family-related seems to carry.

He kisses Ludger's nerves away, lips moving down, until Ludger is shivering from pleasure and he completely gives himself to Julius. It's a little sad, Julius thinks as he slicks the boy up and fingers him open, as he listens to the boy whimper and pant beneath him. This level of trust and intimacy is going to be far from normal in Ludger's line of work. He almost feels guilty for showing him tenderness, but something about Ludger makes Julius want to possess and protect him.

He doesn't know what it is, but he doesn't have it in him to deny it. Not tonight.

So he kisses the breath out of Ludger as he fucks him with all the care and consideration in the world, focuses on making him feel good, treats him like precious glass. Julius wonders if Ludger feels compelled to submit due to some strange connection too, but in the end he lends Ludger's responsiveness, his loud cries and clinging, to innocence and purity that has yet to leave him.

Julius never holds the people he buys, but Ludger has managed to make himself special in a short amount of time, so he does just that. Ludger is still a flustered, shaking mess as Julius kisses and shushes him through the aftershocks of his orgasm.

It's a bad idea because at this point he's utterly _spoiling_ him, but Julius doesn't care; he carries the soft-boned boy, cleans him up, and even goes so far as to put him to bed. He tells himself that it's late, that the party is long over and no one will miss either of them. In fact, the longer Julius stays gone, the better, so he lingers about before finally shedding himself of his remaining clothing. He joins Ludger in bed.

Despite his efforts to keep a reasonable distance between them, Ludger still sidles up to him. He doesn't dare press their bodies together, but he gives Julius a dazed and red-cheeked smile before sighing softly and closing his eyes.

Julius wants to embrace him, but he doesn't.

  
Ever the early riser, Julius wakes up when the sky is taking a greenish-purple tinge to it. He dresses as quietly as he can, leaves a considerable amount of money on the dresser, and is ready to leave in no time.

Unfortunately, Ludger stirs and shoots up before Julius can even get to the door.

They watch each other for a few long moments before Ludger looks first to the money on the dresser, then up at Julius with wide eyes. That fearful courage is back as he remembers who he is and the night's events.

Julius isn't up for waiting while Ludger begins to have an emotional crisis, so he approaches the door, gloved hand ready to turn the knob.

"The room key is under the money," he says cooly. He's about to leave when Ludger makes a move to rise, keeping himself covered with the blanket all the while.

"Wait," he says, looking frantic. He pauses before offering Julius a small smile. "Let me make you breakfast."

Julius' first instinct is to flat-out refuse and tell Ludger to smarten up, but Ludger's hopeful expression and Julius' greed compel him to return Ludger's smile and give a nod.

"Alright. We'll go to my place."

  
Julius' house is spacious and unlived in, and his refrigerator is much the same. He can't cook, he tells Ludger, so he doesn't bother with buying a lot of raw ingredients.

He has a lot of tomatoes, however, all kinds of tomatoes. It makes Ludger laugh, which in turn makes Julius laugh.

"Tomatoes are my favorite too," he explains.

Ludger makes the two of them tomato omelettes, and they eat in a comfortable silence, smiling all the while. Julius is half-done when he asks.

"What are you going to do now?"

Ludger swallows before looking down at his eggs pensively.

"My sister is probably wondering where I am," he says quietly.

"Your sister?"

Ludger nods, his smile fond but sad. "Her name is Elle. She's eight. She's strong and can take care of herself, but I hate worrying her."

Julius hums in understanding. He's surprised when Ludger doesn't leave it at that.

"The two of us were in an accident, and Rideaux saved our lives. I couldn't afford to pay for the medical expenses though, so that's why I..." and he trails off. expression softening into even more sadness.

Julius looks down at his food, expression distant and almost pitying.

"Your life is about to get a lot harder."

Ludger nods. "I know. But if it's for Elle, I'll do anything."

Julius can't entirely relate to the desire to want to selflessly give everything for someone else, so he says nothing in reply. He almost wants to help, to understand the burden Ludger is carrying on his shoulders, but for the time being he simply lends his thoughts to that ugly desire to have Ludger all to himself.

The once-comfortable silence becomes awkward and tense, but they manage to get through it. Julius takes Ludger home; it seems that with every mile, more and more unsaid words pile up.

After he finally gets out, Ludger lingers at Julius' open door before murmuring a quiet goodbye.

Julius doesn't say anything back to him.

  
"What was _that?_ " Rideaux asks, incredulous, as soon as Julius meets up with him.

Julius frowns, not in the mood for the oncoming melodrama.

"What are you going on about now?" he nearly groans, exasperated.

Rideaux's lips curl into a knowing sneer. "Looks like you're quite fond of the little boy-toy I introduced you to. You can thank me later."

"It's none of your business," Julius snaps.

"Whatever you say," Rideaux says with a dismissive wave. "As long as you pay him, I don't care what you do."

"Don't worry," Julius says. "I did."

  
A week or so later, he asks for Ludger again.

He endures a bit of cajoling from Rideaux, but Julius was fully expecting that, so it wasn't a terrible price to pay. They're in a different hotel this time, and there's no charming preamble to their meeting, Otherwise their arrangements are much the same.

Julius isn't sure what to say. He knows technically there's nothing _to_ say, that all he has to do is have Ludger suck him off, pay him, and leave it at that. However, he wants more.

To Julius' relief, Ludger is the one who breaks the silence.

"My sister was mad at me for staying out all night," he says with a small smile. "I had to tell her I was out with a friend."

Julius wants to smile back, but he doesn't find the situation as amusing as he would have the last time they were together.

"You're going to have to start coming up with more excuses like that from now on."

Ludger's smile falls, and he looks down at the floor. His hands curl into fists. "None of the others have kept me overnight."

Julius reaches forward to run his fingers through Ludger's hair; his touch trails down to cup the boy's cheek, and he tilts Ludger's chin up so he can hold his eyes.

"He's put you to work already?" he asks.

"Yeah," Ludger murmurs before averting his gaze fully, and his cheeks go red as if he were ashamed.

Julius supposes he can't blame him.

Ludger finally looks back up, and his expression is still forlorn. There's even a longing quality to it that Julius is only beginning to understand. He isn't sure how to respond to it, but he knows it's there. That's a good enough start for him.

The drawn-out silence that is starting to become more and more frequent hangs about them, before Ludger reaches up to start plucking and pulling at Julius' pants. There's a detachment to his movements, as if it was all mechanical. It makes Julius miss his callow, shaking little fingers.

He misses them so much that he stops Ludger, taking the boy's hands into his, and gives them a squeeze.

"Let me," he says gently. "I'll do it. Just lay back. Like last time."

Ludger looks lost, confused, afraid. Julius isn't quite sure why; being in the don's good graces like this should make him feel accomplished and a little bit safer.

Ultimately, he doesn't resist. With a shaky nod, Ludger does as he's told, backing onto the bed and settling against it. He visibly tries to relax, but it doesn't seem to work.

Julius crawls over him, his weight braced on an arm. With the utmost tenderness, he traces Ludger's parted lips with his thumb before stroking his cheek. He doesn't know what he wants, but it isn't to hurt the one beneath him.

"Are you disgusted with me?" Ludger asks suddenly, though his voice is still a subdued whisper.

Julius is surprised, but doesn't miss a beat. "Not at all."

Ludger exhales a soft breath, his hands flattening against the bed. Julius is suprised when Ludger doesn't look away.

"You're being cold, so I thought..." he trails off at that, obviously unsure.

Julius knows what Ludger is unsure of, but he presses anyway, mostly because he knows he's becoming confused about the exact same thing.

"What did you think?"

"I thought," Ludger pauses. "That you didn't want me."

Julius looks down at him, searching for _something_ to say, but everything that seems fit for the intimacy of the moment is dangerous. He doesn't dare forget that he's the don of the Kresnik family, a man of power, a man who should be above falling for a simple boy, a simple _whore._ He even tells himself that Rideaux finding out about this would be the most aggravating thing in the world.

However, he once again finds none of that mattering. Julius wonders what he's becoming.

"It's more complicated than that," is all he says before leaning down to press his mouth to Ludger's in a soft kiss. He's relieved when Ludger returns the gesture.

Everything's become slow and languid by the time they pull apart with only the most necessary amount of distance between them. Julius can still taste Ludger's breath.

Ludger swallows hard, cheeks flushed pink. "Do you think you can go slow? Like last time?"

Julius shuts his eyes and leans in for another kiss, though he doesn't take it just yet.

"You think you're in any position to be making requests?"

Ludger tilts his head up, lips touching Julius', though he doesn't take a kiss himself. He's a whore, Julius reminds himself. Whores don't get to take without permission.

"I know I'm not, but," Ludger offers Julius a small smile. "I feel like you'll listen."

Julius doesn't know when the tenseness of the situation had dissipated, but he realizes it has when he finds himself smiling back at Ludger with a shake of his head.

"I don't know what gave you _that_ idea. I don't have a reputation for being nice, you know."

Ludger's smile brightens, cheeky and illuminant. He finally takes that kiss, brief as it may be.

"You're a lot nicer than you think."

Julius chuckles, and his smile becomes warm and genuine. He wants to make Ludger eat his words by tickling him into submission, to make him laugh so hard his ribs ache and he can't breathe. He settles for giving him a playful kiss on the nose instead.

"You're crazy," is all he says before diving in and silencing anymore nonsense Ludger might spew with a drawn-out kiss that promises no roughness, no cruelty, a kiss that tells Ludger that he matters.

  
The morning after, he takes Ludger out to breakfast, they talk and smile, and he drives him home again. The fact that none of Ludger's other customers ever treated him so courtesouly didn't need to be said, though the light in Ludger's eyes was enough of a constant reminder. He looked a little too happy, which Julius was both glad for and discomforted by.

  
Ever the straightforward man, a few days later, Julius tells (he doesn't ask, he tells, he _demands_ ) that Ludger be his exclusively.

Rideaux laughs, a low and dark chuckle. "Oh, this is _rich._ "

"I know it is. You can leave now," Julius says flatly, not in the mood one bit for Rideaux' cajoling.

"I know you take him out when you're done with him," Rideaux continues, ignoring Julius. "A little birdy told me. You're too much, Julius, you really are."

"I pay him-- or should I say, I pay _you._ What I do with him is none of your business, Rideaux."

Rideaux grimaces, though there's still a mocking curl to his lips. "Don't tell me you're turning into one of those lonely old men who hires prostitues just to talk to them? Julius, that's pathetic, even for you."

Julius frowns, perturbed. "You know it isn't like that."

"But then again, I suppose someone as stiff and boring as you _would_ have to pay someone to date him," Rideaux says with a shrug, though he keeps his eyes fixed on Julius, obviously wanting a reaction.

"Whatever you say, Rideaux. Just tell him what I told you the next time you see him."

Rideaux cocks his hip, giving his glass a light swirl. "I believe he's busy tonight, so tomorrow."

Julius nods curtly. "That's fine."

  
Ludger is all awkward and fidgeting pinkness when he mulls about the hotel room.

Julius casts a good-natured smile at him after he locks the door behind them.

"I can practically hear the gears in your head turning. What's up?"

Ludger doesn't look up, merely gives the back of his head a daft little scratch.

"Nothing," he replies. "This is just different, that's all."

"Different?" Julius asks, shrugging his coat off as he approaches Ludger. "How so?"

Ludger finally meets Julius' gaze, and he looks equal parts nervous and excited, like a schoolgirl about to confess to her crush. Julius longs for and dreads the thought.

"Because you... _own_ me now, right?" Ludger begins. "You're the only one I'll have to sleep with, and the other _workers_ said this was a big deal since you're the family boss."

Julius nods, lets Ludger finish.

"You're kind, so I was just thinking that my job is going to be a lot easier from now on," he concludes, blush deepening, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Julius can tell there's more to it than that, but if Ludger doesn't want to tell him, he supposes he doesn't have to. It's not like he's paying Ludger to open his heart to him.

No, if anything, Ludger seems happy to do that for free.

Julius sets his coat aside before returning to Ludger, and he pulls him against him by the front of his pants. There's no demandingness in the gesture; it's gentle and playful.

"I don't get why you think so highly of me in these situations," he says with an admonishing shake of his head. "But I'm not complaining."

Ludger smiles, fingers twitching with the desire to touch, but his job, his _status_ is always in the back of his mind. He's a whore, he's not allowed to touch unless told to.

"You could have just said thanks, Don Kresnik," Ludger says, chiding.

Julius chuckles before leaning in and fitting his mouth to Ludger's. He doesn't dare draw away until Ludger is unable to contain himself, arms looped around Julius' shoulders, lips parted, feeding Julius soft little sounds.

The space between them is as small as ever, and Julius holds Ludger's gaze, staring into his eyes, committing every little dot and flicker of color to memory.

"Thank you, Ludger," he murmurs. The smile he gives Ludger is gentle and has a familiar quality to it, like they're _meant_ to share smiles like this.

Ludger knows he shouldn't, and Julius knows he shouldn't let him, but neither of them care. Ludger stands on the tips of his toes and kisses Julius insistently.

  
Not having to go through Rideaux whenever he wanted to be with Ludger was equal parts more convenient and less vexing. No assault of questions, no pestering-- just a quick phone call, and Ludger's smiling face would be there at their designated meeting place.

He starts meeting him at nicer hotels, with lush beds and massive baths (which of course they utilized), and Julius would always arrive first to order cartfuls of sweets for Ludger. Ludger never kissed first, but he grew more and more responsive as time went on. As soon as Julius' lips touched his, he would smile and cling and laugh, like Ludger wasn't a broke little nobody and Julius wasn't a crimelord, like there was no money or obligation involved.

Ludger starts bringing Julius food when they meet up, and when Julius makes the mistake of eating it in front of Rideaux, it doesn't go unnoticed.

He eyes Julius' tomato-roasted chicken parmesean with suspicion, as if there was a chance it would lunge for him. He then looks up at Julius, expectant.

"So," Rideaux begins, batting his lashes innocuously. "Are you going to tell me who made you _lunch?_ "

"No," Julius answers flatly before taking another bite.

Rideaux' smile turns wry. "Let me guess. It's that little rent boy of yours? Ludger, right?"

"Drop it, Rideaux. I don't want to talk about it," Julius says, tone warning and severe.

Rideaux chuckles darkly. "What's wrong, Don Kresnik, ashamed of your new little boyfriend? I suppose I can't blame you."

"Rideaux," Julius warns again.

"Always so cold. I'd stop if you gave me answers, you know."

"I keep telling you it's none of your business!"

Rideaux purses his lips in thought. "So if I told him about our little conversation just now, you wouldn't care?"

"Of course I would care," Julius says slowly, clearly trying to keep his voice level.

"But--?" Rideaux presses, leaning in.

"I said drop it," Julius snaps. "I know you're jealous no one would bother cooking for you, but that's no reason to take it out on Ludger-- or me."

Rideaux looks affronted for all of a few seconds before waving his hand dismissively. "You're no fun."

  
"Did you like the chicken?" Ludger asks with a smile as he settles onto the edge of the bed.

"The chicken was amazing," Julius says, expression equally fond as he settles next to Ludger. He doesn't make any moves to disrobe him or kiss him or take anything from him. Ludger senses it too, and is just as happy to bask in Julius' company.

"Great!" Ludger grins. "I put in extra tomatoes for you and everything."

"So I noticed," Julius says before wrapping an arm around Ludger's middle and pulling him against him. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're trying to butter me up. Just what are you after?"

"Nothing! I'm not after anything!" Ludger raises his hands, blanching in disingenous panic.

"Somehow, I doubt that!" and Julius goes in for the kill, acts on an urge that's been building up inside of him for weeks, months. He pulls Ludger flush against him, worms his hands up the boy's shirt, and tickles him mercilessly.

Ludger cries out, nearly screams, and tries squirming away as he barks out laughter, but Julius' hold is indomitable. Even with his fitful kicks, his feeble attempts at prying Julius' hands off of him, and the way he falls onto his side, gasping and shouting blissfully-- Julius doesn't let him go. He falls after him, pins him down, kisses his cheek and eye and the corner of his mouth.

"Julius!" he cries out, and it doesn't go amiss to either of them that Ludger had used Julius' real name, that he'd forsaken their titles and roles for the happiness of the moment. "Julius, I can't breathe! I give, I give!"

Julius' hands still, but their laughter doesn't peter out so easily, and they're nothing but pink-cheeked, rumbling messes for a long while. It isn't until Julius rises up off of Ludger does he break the silence.

"Why don't we get something to eat? It'd be nice to get something besides hotel food," he asks, his fingertips twitching against Ludger's warm skin.

Ludger chuckles, still ticklish even in the face of such gentle touches, before nodding with a dazed smile.

"Yeah. I'd like that."

Julius pulls Ludger up by the hand, kisses him, and they leave the hotel room hand in hand. They go to a sit-down restaraunt, this warm and dimly-lit place where Julius knows the owner, so they can stay as late as they want. They start sitting across from each other, but by the end of the night they're hip-to-hip and Ludger is leaning against Julius' shoulder, smiling and looking up at him with a daydreamy sweetness only schoolgirls in love know.

He can only imagine what his own expression is like; he can tell he's smiling, and gently at that-- Ludger looks happy, and that's what's most important to Julius.

Julius takes Ludger home right after. With a shy smile, Ludger gives Julius a peck on the lips before bidding him goodbye.

"Goodnight Ludger," Julius tells him before watching Ludger go up the stairs to his apartment.

  
Rideaux gives Julius' shoulder a nudge with the neck of a bottle of wine. Julius bats it away before glaring at his underboss.

"What is it now? Don't you have something you should be doing?" Julius asks, not bothering to hide the vexation in his tone.

"My apologies, Don Kresnik," Rideaux says, tone equally annoyed. "As much as I _love_ spending time with you, you're right, I _do_ need to get back to work. There's just one small problem only you can solve."

Julius sighs. "What is it?"

Rideaux sets the winebottle down on the desk harshly.

"You forgot to pay my hooker, Don," Rideaux says blithely.

Julius says nothing for a moment before leaning back in his chair. "I'll pay him double next time I see him."

Rideaux raises a brow at him, watching Julius with obvious distrust.

"I can see what's going on here," Rideaux mutters, a cruel but knowing smile tugging at his lips. "Though I can't say I saw it coming. You know, I was joking about needing to pay someone to date you. If you want, I can introduce you to _real_ people and not prostitutes."

"He _is_ a real person," Julius says quietly before remembering himself and looking up at Rideaux with a harsh frown. "Not that it's any of _your_ business. Don't forget your position."

Rideaux huffs before tossing his hair over his shoulder. "And don't  _you_ forget to pay for my merchandise. We're not making any real money off him with the little system you two have going. This is a _business,_ Julius, not a dating service."

"I know that," Julius grits out, fists clenching. He knows Rideaux is right, that Ludger is a commodity, _his property,_ that his debt is just an excuse to exploit him and that he'll be trapped in the family till the day he dies.

Rideaux sighs in genuine exasperation. "But you're still going to see him, aren't you?"

Julius shuts his eyes, not bothering to hide his own frustration. "Yes, I am. Now that we have that settled, you can go now."

"Be careful, Julius," Rideaux says with a wave of his hand, tone falsely saccharine. He pushes himself up off the desk before picking up his winebottle. "You know how _his kind_ can be. The brat thinks he has a chance at paying off his so-called debt. He'd be an idiot not to use the lovesick don to his advantage."

Julius knows Rideaux is right, but he also knows that Ludger isn't that sort of person. His smile is still genuine, callow, a little too adoring for Julius' liking. He supposes he'll have to face it sooner or later though.

  
Ludger, who is usually all affection and smiles as soon as he sees Julius, has been quieter, more withdrawn throughout the night. He doesn't take his ritualistic seat on the bed, instead mulls about, clutching the plastic tote bag of food in his hands. Clearly he's troubled by something, and while Julius can be emotionally obtuse at times, he knows he wants to figure this out.

He pries the bag out of Ludger's hands before reaching up to cup his cheek and tilt Ludger's head up, searching for his gaze.

"Something's on your mind," Julius says, tone gentle. "What's wrong?"

Ludger watches Julius for all of a few beats before trying to turn away. "I just..."

Julius leans down, presses a reassuring kiss to Ludger's lips. "Tell me."

Suddenly, Ludger looks up, shoulders squared, that expression of determination that Julius hasn't seen in a long while reaching all the way up to the corners of his eyes.

"I talked to the underboss, and--"

"That was your first mistake."

Ludger smiles for a moment, suppressing a laugh. It doesn't take long for his expression to fall.

"...I'm just a hooker to you, right? Property? As soon as my debt's paid off and you don't need me anymore, we're done?"

Julius doesn't know how to respond for too many reasons; he doesn't know what Ludger is to him, impossible debts are just angles they take to trick and trap people into the family business, there's no actual way for Ludger to escape any of this. He _is_ property, technically he should be property of the family, but Julius made the mistake of letting him become more than that, and now here they are.

"It's not like that, Ludger," is all he can manage, along with a soft stroke to Ludger's cheek with his thumb.

"Then tell me what it _is_ like," Ludger starts, a disingenuous anger flickering in his eyes. "You know I never wanted to live like this-- to be a _hooker._ I was doing it for Elle. Things are different now, though."

Julius doesn't know whether to draw away or embrace Ludger. Ultimately, he removes his hand from the boy's face, watching him with a careful expression. Perhaps Rideaux was right after all.

"What does it matter if they're different? As long as I pay you, everything is fine. If that's what this is about, I told Rideaux I would cover our last visit along with tonight's."

"It's not about the money anymore!" Ludger says with indignation, taking a step back away from Julius. "I didn't care about it last night because I was _happy!_ You were making me happy!"

"Ludger," Julius starts.

Ludger only bristles.

"I know I'm not supposed to get attached, but..." Ludger finally softens, his shoulders relaxing, but his expression becomes impossibly sad, his gaze averted to the floor. "I wanted it to mean something to you too."

Julius still doesn't know what to say, but he knows he can't just leave Ludger with the impression that he's nothing but property, even if he is-- or rather, even if he should be.

He crosses the distance between them before reaching up to curl his hand around the back of Ludger's neck. He pulls him in close, their foreheads touching. The gesture is painfully intimate, but Julius reminds himself that it isn't the first time they've been close like this. He doesn't know why it's different now, but it is.

"It did," he says firmly. "I'm not supposed to get attached either, but here I am."

Ludger looks up through his lashes at Julius, eyes filled with patient curiosity.

"I chose you for a reason, Ludger. You didn't have a choice at first, and you don't have much of a choice now. But if you did..."

It's Julius' turn to look reproachful. He looks down at the ground, contemplative, as if bracing himself for the answer.

"If you _did_ have a choice, would you still stay? With me."

Ludger's eyes widen, but he doesn't miss a beat. He reaches up to cover Julius' hand with his as if beaconing him closer.

"I would," he says quietly. "I couldn't walk away from you now. So I'd stay."

Julius releases a breath he didn't know he was holding. "I was hoping you would say that."

Ludger manages a smile, slow and gentle. and he gives Julius' knuckles a stroke with his thumb.

"Don Kresnik," Ludger asks. "What do we do? What do _I_ do?"

Julius leans in, presses a soft kiss to Ludger's lips.

"You can start by calling me Julius."

"Okay then," Ludger says, cheeks brightening. "What happens now, Julius? About my debt, my job, my sister..."

Julius kisses Ludger again, and this time it's kind and caring and reassuring, everything Ludger thinks Julius is.

"I'll take care of it," he says, voice soft. "I'll take care of you. Trust me."

With only a nod, Ludger decimates what little space is left between them to drape his arms over Julius' shoulders.

"Okay," he says. "I will."

Julius squeezes him back, holds him tightly and silently promises never to let him go.


End file.
